The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced today that ESPN has become the club’s exclusive media rights holder, executing a three-year rights agreement. ESPN+, the upcoming direct-to-consumer subscription streaming product from ESPN and BAMTECH Media, will be the home for live local coverage of Fire matches in both English and Spanish beginning this season.

ESPN’s Tournament Challenge Marathon presented by Boost Mobile returns for the second year, with a 25-consecutive hour marathon, on Monday, March 12, and Tuesday March 13, from the network’s studios in Bristol, Conn., and LA Live. The Tournament Challenge Marathon commences at 6 p.m. ET, on ESPN, and continues with the NCAA Women’s Basketball … Read More

Earlier today, ESPN Bracketologists Joe Lunardi and Charlie Creme spoke with media about their latest bracket predictions and what teams need to do to close out the season for both men’s and women’s basketball tournaments ahead of Selection Sunday and Selection Monday. A transcript of the call is below. Joe, for the Louisville game today: … Read More

As a lead-in to the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship Presented by Capital One, ESPN has launched a new campaign today, which coincides with International Women’s Day.

Narrated by Good Morning America host and former college basketball player Robin Roberts, the spot is underscored by P!nk’s song “What About Us,” and celebrates female empowerment and achievement in sports from the past, present and future. The creative weaves images of female athletes who have defied expectations, broken gender barriers and achieved incredible feats in their sport with iconic moments from previous NCAA women’s tournaments.

ESPN’s industry leading NCAA Division I Softball television coverage is led by some of the sport’s most accomplished former players and decorated voices in the sport. Among the ranks are an Olympic gold medalist, a World Cup Champion, NCAA Women’s College World Series Champions and former All-Americans, along with a team of veteran commentators with a long history calling the sport.

ESPN Audio’s content – the ESPN Radio Network’s national talk shows and live events, affiliated local broadcast radio stations and podcasting – accounts for nearly half (46%) of all sports radio listenership in the U.S., according to the most recent “Share of Ear” survey by Edison Research.

In addition, the survey showed that one in five reported listening to ESPN Audio’s programming weekly – nearly 50 million Americans.